Apr. 2 :: I wanna feel the heat with somebody

HOW WILL I KNOW
Red Wings and Predators, Saturday matinee — 3pm Eastern. Live from Nashtucky. Chance the Red Wings show up: 75%. Chance several thousand Taylor Swift fans show up: 300%.

DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT
This is the sixth and final game between the two Central Division clubs. The most recent was March 19th and — why, yes, the Red Wings did lose, just like four of the five other times they’ve played the Predators. Dan Cleary was your lone goal scorer that night.

MY NAME IS NOT SUSAN
Blake “OMG FIVE GENERATIONS WARBRGHL!” Geoffrion is the Best Name Nominee (all bullshit aside, that’s pretty damn cool. I’m just tired of hearing it every time he touches the puck. “Fifth generation” is the new “Livonia-native”).

IT’S NOT RIGHT, BUT IT’S OKAY
:: Detroit was curb stomped, 10-3 by the Blues, on Wednesday.
:: Nashville beat Colorado, 3-2, on Thursday.

I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT
By special request, the TPL Glossary is ready to jailsex your eyes.
Cleary — Zetterberg — Bertuzzi
Franzen — Filppula — Holmstrom
Hudler — Modano — Abdelkader
Draper — Helm — Eaves

Lidstrom — Stuart
Kronwall — Ericsson
Kindl — Rafalski

Howard
MacDonald

WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO
Pavel Datsyuk [lower body]
Chris Osgood [bergina]
Ruslan Salei [healthy scratch]
Drew Miller [healthy scratch]

The TPL Name Game “Three Stars”
Disch: Jonathan “Didn’t We Have the Best of Times, When Love Was Young and New” Ericsson
Petrella: Jonathan “I Say a Prayer With Every Heartbeat” Ericsson
Hollis: Jonathan “So Goodbye, Please Don’t Cry” Ericsson
*Now it’s up to you! Think up your best names and throw them in the comments — the best one will be shared for all to enjoy on the TPL Facebook Page. The best of the best will be pitted against one another at season’s end, and the winner takes home a TPL Shirt of their choice.*

I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
:: Jimmy Howard returns after missing a couple of games with a tweaked shoulder, courtesy of Joffrey Lupul’s fat ass. Will Tiberius allow ten fewer goals than his counterparts the other night? Here’s hoping.
:: The Red Wings clinch a playoff berth with anything but a regulation loss. If they do lose, they can still clinch if the Stars lose in Los Angeles later in the afternoon.
:: The team may have scared away the two seed, going 5-3-2 in their last ten as the Sharks went 6-1-3. A win today against the Predators (who are second in the division) will go a long way in clinching the division, and thus homeice in the first round.
:: Ruslan Salei is back in the lineup and Jakub Kindl takes his turn in the lounge. Even Jonathan Ericsson is surprised at this point.
:: It’s been a few days, but we want to send a belated congratulations to friend of The Production Line Cory Emmerton, who signed a three-year extension to remain with the organization until 2014. Next year is two-way, meaning he’ll make a lesser salary if he’s playing in Grand Rapids, but he will still have to clear waivers to be sent down. Click here to listen to Cory’s episode of The Pipeline.
:: Continuing in prospect news, congratulations to Brendan Smith, who was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team. He’s a keeper.
:: Pretty neat feature from the Red Wings as they prepare for their twentieth straight appearance in the post-season: Twenty Straight, with video highlights and stories from each of the last 19 playoff seasons. Hard not to get goosebumps.

WHAT WE LEARNED AGAINST THE BLUES (aka WHY DOES IT HURT SO BAD)
I have nothing. Nothing. NOTHING! If I don’t have you.